Police resort to lathicharge during ABMSU rail blockade, several injured

OUR BUREAU

KOKRAJHAR/RANGIA, Oct.26: Police on Thursday morning fired several rounds in the air, threw tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge at Salakati Railway Station in Kokrajhar district to disperse angry ABMSU activists who blocked the railway station demanding arrest of the culprits involved in Lafiqul Islam’s murder. Many ABMSU supporters, including women, were injured. Four police personnel were also injured in the incident.  The incident took place at about 7.40 am when the ABMSU supporters tried to enter the railway track at Salakati Railway Station to observe the 12-hour railway blocked programme called by ABMSU demanding immediate arrest of the main culprit in the murder of ABMSU president Lafikul Islam Ahmed who was killed on August 1 at Titaguri  market near Kokrajhar town. Police tried to stop them, resulting in a scuffle between them.

As there was strong resistance from the ABMSU supporters, police fired several rounds in the air and threw tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse them. More than 40 ABMSU supporters involved into the incident were detained by police.

Meanwhile, train services along the Northeastern Frontier Railway (NFR) via Fakiragram junction of lower Assam’s Kokrajhar district was disrupted in the morning for nearly two hours following the incident.

A 12- hour rail blockade was staged by ABMSU central committee at Khandikar Railway Station under Baksa district on Thursday to demand immediate arrest of the murderers of former ABMSU president Lafiqul Islam Ahmed. They also demanded suspension of Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police Rajen Singh and CBI enquiry into the brutal killing.

 The organization also submitted memorandum in support of their demands to the Chief Minister through SDO civil Tamulpur. After submitting the memorandum, they withdrew the blockade. Tamulpur district and Khandikar local unit extended their support to the protest programme.